Diventures Explorers is designed for children to explore the aquatic world and gain a solid foundation in ocean conservation and scuba diving.
In December 2022, Diventures launched Diventures Explorers at select locations. Formerly known as Scuba Rangers, this program utilizes curriculum from Scuba School International’s (SSI) Scuba Explorers program and builds upon it for a well-rounded program to include snorkeling, scuba basics and ocean ecology curriculum crafted by our in-house marine biologist.
The program launched the day after Christmas 2022 in a camp-style format. Every session includes classroom time with students learning about marine animals and their ecosystems, along with pool time beginning with snorkeling techniques and ending the week scuba diving in the deep end of the pool.
“Today was the best day of my life,” Carter Smyser, 8, said during the third day of camp. Carter and his brothers Cooper and Tucker all took the camp in North Liberty, Iowa and had a blast.
The triplets were apprehensive at first. “It was scary the first-time scuba diving,” said Tucker. But he focused on being calm underwater and was able to make it down to 14 feet.
“Diventures Explorers teaches them how to be independent,” said the triplet’s grandmother Tracy. “They learn how to support each other, be team players and gain confidence.”
The triplet’s father Josh was also impressed with the camp. “I wasn’t expecting this much,” he said. “This feels like a full Open Water Diver course.” Josh and his wife Megan wanted to get the boys snorkel and scuba exposure before their upcoming trip to Hawaii. And that they did!
Josh and his oldest daughter Madison received their SSI certification from Dive Pro Kevin Marks in July of 2022. Now, his three boys get the same opportunity to learn from Kevin as well. Cooper initially imagined that he would be a professional baseball player, but now he dreams of becoming a scientist, like his Diventures Explorers instructor, Kevin.
Corinne Saliga, mother of Nate, 11, and Ariel, 9, in Omaha, Nebraska was excited for the opportunity to have her children experience scuba diving.
“My husband and I are divers, and we wanted a family hobby to do together. My son is afraid of water, so getting him to submerge his head and go down to 14 feet was a big deal. My daughter Ariel loves the water. She’s like a mermaid. I mean, it’s literally her name!”
Diventures Explorers is for children 8 through 12 with strong swimming skills and is designed to give children:
- Impressive skills at a young age: They’ll gain a basic understanding of snorkeling, scuba, gear and other fundamentals in a safe pool environment with a certified instructor.
- Fun, fun, and more fun: Every camp includes a variety of exciting activities and fun challenges.
- Marine life and ecology knowledge: Children will explore and learn about different ocean ecosystems, species and what we can do to protect our oceans.
Ecology classes include:
- Ocean Ally Explorer
- Sea Turtle Ecology
- Shark Ecology
- Dolphin Ecology
- Cephalopod Ecology
After completing the program, students can participate in Explorer Specialties to learn more in-depth and specialized techniques in diving. Specialties include Boat, Photo and Video and Perfect Buoyancy Explorers, with more to follow in the coming months.
Find camp dates and learn more about Diventures Explorers!
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